Google Street View Controversy Hits Owls

The uproar continues over Google's new Street View, with news that Sheffield City Council are using the new facility to view street layouts and buildings throughout the city, including Hillsborough and the surrounding area.

The site has caused controversy since its launch and Google has been forced to take down images where faces or car number plates had not been amended to conceal their identity, but this is a problem of an altogether different nature.

The level of detail on the Google site is such that council planners are able to use it to examine road markings, new developments, building dilapidations and defects, and to resolve boundary disputes.

The Penistone Road area is of particular concern to the planning office and moves will be made to approach the Hillsborough stadium management about the proximity of the turnstile buildings to the pavement in Penistone Road.

The Council are considering enforcing current regulations on access and crowd safety to request a rebuild of the old turnstile area.

This may mean moving those buildings back as much as 1.5 metres nearer to the stadium, with a serious knock-on effect of significant rework inside the ground, and the resulting expense. The corner of the Kop and North Stand would be the area most affected.

This also raises significant issues for our rivals across town, with the areas along Bramall Lane and John Street also coming under the watchful eye of the council.